Steering and driving wheel for motor-vehicles.



mamma AN APPLJCATION FILED OCT. 6. 1910. .Y

Patente 3am. 2,1191?.

2 SHEFTS -SHEEF I R. H. ROSENBERG.

STEERING AND DRIVING WHEELIFOII MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION mw oct. 6, :910.

1,21 1,238. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

RALPH H. ROSENBERG, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSGNB, TG THE KINNEAR MANUFAC-TURN@ CQMPANY, GF CLUMBUS, 0R10, A CORPORATION OF WEST VRGINIA.

To all whom t mag/ concernx Be it known that' l, RALrH H. Rosnivnnno, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Columbus, county ofFranklin, and. State of Chio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Steering?r and Driving YWheels for llfiotoihVehicles, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.'

My invention relates to motor vehicles and has particular reference toimprovements in so-called front drive vehicles, by which term it ismeant that the driving power of the engine is exerted upon the frontwheels of the vehicle.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved power transmissiondevice Jfor use as a front driving mechanism which will permitthedriving wheels of the vehicle to be used also as steeringwheelsthereof.

My invention consists in various novel details of construction and incombination of parts, allv as hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part 01"' this specication and in which:

Figure 'l is a plan view of a` front axle of a motor driven vehicle orautomobile, equipped with combination driving and steering wheelconnections embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a enlarged sectional view or one of the combinationconnections on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on theline 3-3 oi Fig. 2 but showing the same section of the rotatinffmembers, as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4ris a view similar to Fig. 3, butshowing the rotating member turned to a position at 90 to that shown .in

Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5--5 ofFig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional View on the line 6-6 ofFig. 3Q

`Those who are skilled in the 'art will understand that my combinationsteering and driving wheel connections between axles and wheels may beemployed upon both axles of the motor vehicle or on only one. In thelatter case l always equip the -iront axle. l

.have not undertnkento illustrate a complete Specification of Lettersatent.

` STLEERNG AND ORIVING WHEEL FOR 'MOTOR-VEHICLES.

patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed October 6,1910. Serial No. 585,712.

motor vehicle in the drawings, inasmuch as the arrangement of theengine, the connection of the engine to the driving shafts Within theaxle, the mounting' of the body on the axle and such like features arewell understood in the art.

Referring now to the several figures olf the drawings, it will be notedthat the axle proper 5 is a stationary member, and the driving` shaft 6is rotatably mounted within this axle. At the ends of the axle are vertically positioned yokes 7 forming a. bifurcated frame. rlhese yokes 7 aresomewhat similar to those in use on front wheels of automobiles, butarev larger and stronger, adapting them to embrace mycombined universaljoint and swivel or steering wheel' connections. The yokes 7 are shownin the drawings as having a. vertical position, but circumstances mayarise wherein it isfdesirable to incline the yoke and the steeringmember carried thereby at a slight angle to a vertical position, tocause the vehicle wheels to track and steer more readily. It will beunderstood by those versed in the art that the yolres may be inclined,as suggested above, without changing the action of the combined steeringknuckle and universal joint as described herein. Said universal jointand steeringwheel connections com-1 prise three principal members orparts; the outer ring member 8, .swivelly mounted in the yoke 7 theouteror socket member 9 of the universal joint, revolubly mounted Withinsaid outer ring member and swingable with same to steer the vehicle; andthe inner or ball member 10 of the universal joint se-j cured to andvcarried by said shaft 6. Said member 9 carries or has attached to it thewheel ll. Said outer ring member 8 is provided with trunnions12,-adapting it to be swivelly mounted in the arms of said yoke 7,whiclrhas openings 13 to receive same. I

provide sleeve bearings or' bushings M vfor' said openings 13 in whichsaid trunnions 12 are mountedi` The outer ends of said yoke arms-areprovided with slots 15 (see Fig. 6) entering said openings lyand wideenough to allow said trunnions 12 to pass through into said openingslawhen the device is beas the outer diameter of said bushings, and

ing assembled. Said slots 15 are not as wide its trunnions to steer thevehicle.

said bushings are therefore placed upon the trunnionsji after the ring 8has been placed in position.

To retain the bushings 14 in place. transverse clamping;r bolts 1G areprovided in the free ends of said yoke located so as to cut into theouter surface of said sleeves.

The sleeves 1l are provided with transverse grooves 14 in their outersurface to receive the bolts 1G. and are thus locked in positionlongitudinally and rotatably. An inner recess 1T is provided in saidring 8 and an outer annular recess 18 in said socket member 9registering with said recess 17 and the two forming together an annularring space in the meeting face of the two members within which a ballbearing member 19 is mounted. This ball bearinrgr member isadapted-i101permit rotation of said wheel carrying"member 9 within thering 8, as upon a bearing'. and at the same time prevents said member 9from swinging out of its proper relation to said member S. In otherwords, the ball bearing` member 19 so connects said swivel member 8 andsocket member 9 that when said member S is turned on its trnnnions saidmember 9 and the wheel 11` carried by same. are revolved or turned uponthe axis otl said trunnions to steer the vehicle. Preferably said ballbearingr member consists of an inner ring 20 mounted in the recess 1S ofthe socket member 9, and an outer ring! or member 21, mounted in therecess 17 of said rinlgr member 8, and two annular rows of rings' orballs 22 carried between the rings in suitable ball races. The balls andthe walls of the races co-act to prevent relative lateral movement ofthe b all rings 20 and 21 and consequently retain said ring: member 8and socket member 9 in their proper relative positions. While I haveillustrated a particular formof ball` bearingr for the pur]v )se ofoperatively connecting: said ring or swivel member 8. and the socket orwheel member 9, it will be understood that the form of mounting betweensaid members is not essential so long as the socket member is free torotate within said ring member, and is also swungr or turned witlr saidring.,T member when it is turned on Felt ring collars Q3 are provided inregistering recesses 24 in the nieeting surfaces of said ringrr member Sand socket men'iber 9 at each side of said ball bearing 19 to [')reventthe escape, oi the lubricant from said bearing and also to prevent dirtor gritfrom entering: therein. Said ring member 8 is divided on ahorizontal diameter so that it may be assembled upon the outer ring 21of said ball bearingr 19, and the two parts are secured solidly togetherby the bolts 25. One of said trunnions of said ringr member 8,preferably the lower one, is ext-ended beyoud the end of its sleevebearing and has a,

lever 2G. securely mounted thereon, by which said ring member can beswivcled or turned upon itsI trunnions. Preferably I square thc end ot'`said trunnion and provide the lever 2o with a square hole to receivesame securingr said lever against removal by a cottcr pin 27. Said lever2G isconnectcd in any convenient manner with the steering gear of' theautomobile. Said socket member 9 is provided with a spherical recess 2Sto receive said ball member 10. said ball and recess heiner concentricwith said shaft and with said outer ring: bearing. and their mutualcenter beingr on the axial line ol' said trmmions of said outer ring.Said ball and socket members are operatively conncctcd by radial clutchpins 29 which are carried by said member 9 and are adapted to closelylit and project into slots or recesses Il() provided in Said ball memberlll.so as to be practically in constant contact with thc sides of therecesses. Said recesses 11o are polarily located in the ball membc' amlare longer than the diameter of said pins. longitudinally of the shaft(S. so that said socket can freely. swiner on the ball lwhile.rotating.;l therewith. I divide the socket member 9 preferably on acentral vertical plane. which passes through the center of thc ballbearing 19, into two parts. the. disk or ringrr member 31 and thewheel-carryingr member 32. These two parts are assembled and -securelybolted together in position around said ball member 10 and the innerring: Q0 of the ball bearing;r 19 by means of the bolts :l2-l. asclearly illustrated in Fi". 4. Said Socket member 9 is provided with acentral hollow projection 34 preferably integral therewith and adaptedto act as a lmb for said wheel 11. The wheel may be mounted or builtupon the hub 34 in any convenient manner.

vbut I prefer to provide the hub with an integral annular flange 35,adjacent its inner end, and a loose flange 3G mounted upon its outerend. and securely clamp the inner ends of the spokes 37 therebetween bymeans olthe bolts 3S. The outer end of the hollow hub 34 is closed bymeans of a flange, 39,

,preferably threaded into same` to prevent the escape of the lubricantfrom the interior of the universal joint and the entering of dust andgrit therein.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the shaft 6, ballclutch member 10, the socket member 9 and the wheel 11 can all rotatefreely as a whole within said. ring member 8 upon the ball bearingr 197regardless of the relative positions of the socket member 9. and ballmember 10. Also that the outer ringr member 8, the socket member 9 andthe wheel 11 carried thereby can swing together on the trunnions of saidouter ring member 8 without intertering;r with the rotative motion ofthe wheel. Said drive shaft (5 is rotatably mounted Within said axlepreferably upon ball bearings 40, Carried thereby, and suitably arrangedadjacent the outer ends thereof. Said shaft receives power from theengine (not shown) by means of the shaft el, and differential gearing4Q, the latter illustrated by its easing only.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a front wheel drive forautomobiles, which is made up of a comparatively few very substantialparts, and by which the driving and steering operations can be performedsimultaneously.

l: claim:

l. A steering and driving wheel for motor vehicles including, incombination, a yoke,

a bearing ring vertically swiveled 1n the yoke, a wheel having a ringturning in said swiveled bearing)r ring, a socket member, a ball drivingmember within the socket member, and a pin and slot connection betweenthe ball and socket members, said pin and slot connection including notmore than two pins and slots, substantially as described.

2. A steering and driving wheel tor motor vehicles including, incombination, a yoke, a bearing ring,r vertically swiveled in the lyoke,a wheel having a ring turning in said swiveled bearing ring, asocket member, a ball driving member within the socket member and a pinand slot connection between the ball and socket members, said pin andslot connection including not more than two pins and slots polarilylocated with reference to the ball member, substantially as described.

3. A. steering and driving wheel for motor vehicles including, incombination. a yoke, a bearing ringvertically swiveled in the yoke,-awheel having a ring,l turning in said swiveled bearing` rinq', a socketmember, a ball driving' member within the socket mem ber and a` pin andslot connection between the ball and socket members, said pin hav- 'inga close fit diametrically at all points in its slotand said connectionincluding not more than two pins and slots, substantially as described.

4. A steering and driving wheel for motor vehicles including, incombination, a suitable mounting permitting the wheel to oscillatehorizontally, a socket member, a ball driving member within the socketmember, and a pin and slot connection between the ball and socketmembers, said pin and slot eon nection inehnling not more than two pinsand slots polarlly located, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof, l .have hereunto set my hand, this 17th day ot'Sept. i910, in the presenrc ot' two subscribing witnesses.

